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F. SCHMIDT.

INTERNAL comsusnow ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.15. 1919. 1,331,281 Patented. Feb. 17,1920.

8 SHEET8-SHEET 1. 3

- F. SCHMIDT.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.15.1919.

' ,331,281, Patented Feb. 17,1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J izge/ 2%? F. SCHMIDT.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I5. m9.

1,3 3 1 28 1 Patented Feb. 17,1920.

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mTauAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.15.1919.

1,331,281 Patented Feb. 17,1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

F. SCHMIDT.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I5. 1919'.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

a SHEETS-SHEET 5.

F. SCHMIDT.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-l5. 1919.

' F. SCHMIDT.

' INTERNAL comsusnow ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-15.13I9.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

8 SHEETSSHEET 8.

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ram) SCHMIDT, or cmcaeo, rLLiNoIs, ASSIGNOROF ONE-FOURTH T0 EDWARD L. GIRARD Ann onnronzarn 'IQ manner. A. MEssLnnv, BOTH or cHIcAeo, ILLL.

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INTERNjAIi-GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

Patented Feb. 17,1920.

Application filed August 15, 1919. Serial No. 317,682.

To all whom itmay concern.

- Be it known that I, FRED SCHMIDT, residing at Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combust'on Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines and has especial reference to engines of the rotary type.

One of 'the objects of the invention is, generally, to improve engines, to increase smoothness of operation; enhance their efliciency; to simplify their construction and to reduce cost of production.

One of the specific objects is to compress the power charge outside of the combustion chamber and to entirely shut ed the combustion chamber from the chamber within which the charge is compressed, so that the burned products of combustion cannot be caused to mingle with the gases of a subsequent charge being compressed, as usual with engines Within which the combustion chamber and the charge compressing cham her is the same chamber.

Another obj set is to providean engine in which the rotary power-producing element is provided with a large number of peripheral abutments against which the burning charge impinges to produce continuing power impacts, by the force of the burning charges, projected from oneor more of the combustion chambers associated; with the 'rotary element, wherebythe momentum of the mobile burning charge is available as a power producing factor.

Other, further and more specific objects ofv the .lIlS-"Bll'i'ilOll will becomereadily apparout, to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein -Figure 1 is an end elevation of a plural unit engine embodying the invention. 7 Fig. 2 is aplan view of the engine.

Fig. 3 is a section, taken on line 3-3 of i ii i I Fig. gt is asection taken on line 1+4: of Fig. 3 showing one group of elements of one unit of the engine, in cross section, or, in other words, showing one engine, in the multiple of four, depicted by the drawings.

Fig. is an elevation of the end of the engine structure, opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. r

Fig. 6 is a central section through the group. of charge compressing cylinders;

F ig. .7 is a section taken on line '7--'? of Fig. 3. I i

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8'S of Fig. 7.

Fig-9 is an isometric perspective View of the slide valve that controls communication between the combustion chamber and the rotor. of one unit orgroup of. engine elements.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 13 is a section taken on line 1313 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 14 is a fragment of. the rotary piston or rotor common to all of the engine units.

Fig. 15 is a section taken on line 15--15 of Fig. 1.

In all the viewsthe same reference characters are employed .to indicate similar parts.

In the embodiment of the invention, as depictedin the present drawings, 20 is the housing, consisting of flat side rings 21 and 22 and an end peripheral wall 28. The housing is fixed to a stationary part 24 which may be provided with any sort of a base suitable for the particular construction. 1

The shaft 27 has bearings in the hubs 2i and 29 that are parts of the flat rings or plates 21 and 22. The peripheral surface of the rotor 25, carries a ring 30' from which radially project a series of pyramid-shaped abutments 31, in staggered relation. The ring 30 is fixed to the rotor in a suitable manner and is heldin position by a flat ring 32 and a series of screws The charge that produces the power of the engine by its force or impact, impinges against the surfaces of the numerous pyramids, during the rotativecycle of the rotor. The pyramids are staggered so that at all times there will be a certain number of the pyramids in the most advantageous place to receive the maximum effect of the projected charge. An inner wall 34?, ofthc annular housing,

communicates with the combustion chamber 35 through a rotatable reversing valve 37. The port 36,-andthe port 37 of the valve 37, are in tangential ali-nement when communication is established between-the combustion chamber 35 and therotatable piston or rotor 25; A spark plug 38 isemployed to explode the charge within the chamber 35. Another port 39, similar to the port 36but inclined in the opposite direction from a radial line, is adapted to b'e'used when it is desirable to rotate the rotor in the opposite direction, In which event the port 37, of the valve 37 is brought into alinement with the port 39, whereupon the energy of the exploding charge will be directed tangentially upon the rotor, as in the former case, in the same manner, but in the opposite direction.

Between the ring 34 and the combustion chamber is a curved sliding valve 40, having oppositely'inclined ports 41 and 41. It is this valve'that is used to complete communication between the combustion chamber 35 and the rotor, during the cyclic operation of the engine, whileithe valve 37 is used only when it is desirable to reverse the direction of motion of the rotor. V

WVhen direction of motion of the rotor is to be changed the valves 37, of each of the engines, must be simultaneously oscillated to the same extent and for this purpose I provide a ring 42, journaled on the hub 24 and provided with a handle 43. Projecting from the ring is, also, an index 44, movable over a dial 45, to indicate to the observer the directionin which the engine is being rotated. Connectedto the ring in'spaced apart relation are a series of slottedlinks 45, each of which is secured to a valve 37. Each of the linksis pivoted to the ring, as at 46. Now it will be manifest that when the handle 43 is moved tothe left, as shown in Fig. 5, the valves 37 will have their ports 37 in register with the ports 39, in the ring 34, thereby causing communication. from the ombustion chamber 35. to pass through the ports 41", and causing the rotor to be revolved in the direction opposite to that shown inFig. 4, or in clockwisedirection. whereas as shown in Fig. 4 the rotor would be moved in anti-clockwise direction.

"Assuming that an explosion has occurred in the combustion chamber 35, see Fig. 4, the force of the explosion will cause the projected gases topass through the port 37 of the valve 37, through the port 41 of the valve 34, and forcibly impinge upon the pie sented surfaces of the pyramidal abutments 31, thus projecting a charge against these presented surfaces in tangential direction with such force and effect as to cause an impulse of movement of the rotor. After the gases have passed along the surface of the rotor to a point 47, they are exhausted through radially exposed tubes, or pipes 48. The exhaust may thereafter be conveyed to any suitable point remote from the engine by connecting a conduit to these tubes. It is, of course, understood that the exploded charges will be periodical and that they will occur in sequential order, in the seve :11 en gine units presented to the rotor as in other forms of engines. The result, however, is that each cylinder may be made to produce a power impulse at each reoccurring r volution of the rotor, and in the embodiment of the drawings there would be four power impulses during each revolution of the rotor.

Before explaining the operation of the valve 40, it may be well to indicate the manner in which the charge is compressed and forced into the combustion chambers 35. and there exploded. Each of the engine units is provided with a cylinder 50, within which reciprocates a piston 51. Into those cylinders the charges are drawn and compressed, and then at the ondvof the compression stroke. they are passed through a port 52, and preferably a check valve 53, into the, respective, combustion chamber 35. The cylinders 50 are preferably hollow and a conduit containing the valve 53 is open at the upper end of the piston, as at 54, and communicates with a port 55 in the side wall of the cylinder facing toward the combustion chamber. The valve 53 opens toward the compression chamber 56 from pressure within the cylinder 50, but it prevents back pressure from the combustion chamber into the compression chamber, and also prevents the gases of combustion from mixing, or mingling with the fresh gases drawn into the compression chamber, at the time the explosion ismade in the combustion chamber. During theioutstroke of tho piston 51, shown in Fig. 10, the valve '57 is opened and charge is drawn into the compression chamber 56, the port 53 of the conduit. A port 58 extends down the inside of the cylinder in its side wall, so that the port 55 may be in communication therewith. The piston 51 may be oscillated on its rod so as to bring the port 55 out of line with the port 58, as clearly shown in Fig. 10, by a pin 60 which is secured in one side of the piston, at 61. The free end of the pin 60 projects into a cam way slot 62, in a stationary cam (33. The cam is provided by an outer wall 64 and a spaced apart inner wall 65 with a groove or camway 62 between the two walls. The pin 60 has its inner end constantly within the camway, or groove 62,

and when the piston 51is reciprocated in the cylinder 50 at the end of its instroke, the pin 60 passes from the slot on the left hand side to the slot on "the righthand side, or on theopposite side of the wall 65, thereby oscillating the cylinder on its rod and bring ing the port 55 out of register with the port 58 at the proper time in the cycle of operation so that the =port55 will no longer communicategthrough the port 58 or directly, with the conduittQ. Thepiston rod 70, is connected; to the piston 51 in such manner, as at 71, whereby the piston may be oscillated or rotated independently of the rod. The pin 60 not only oscillates the cylinder 50, by its'passage through the cam 63, but it moves the valve 10 in proper sequential order. 1

The valve a0 is provided with notches 7 8 on its sides within which extends arms 71, which are securedto an oscillatable shaft or pin 75. The pin extends through the plate, or ring 22, and has secured thereto on its outer end an arm 76. The outer end of the arm 76 carries a pin 77 that extends into a slot 7 8 of one memberof the bell crank lever 79. The arm 80, of the bell crank lever, is secured to the arm 81 and moves therewith. The end of the arm 81 extends over the camway 62 in the path of the pin moving the arm 76, and the arm 7 6,be'ing connectedto the pin 7 5, the arms 74 are moved thereby and therefore, inasmuch as they are inserted inthe notches 73 in the valve plate 10, thevalve ismoved a suificient distance in the cycle in proper timed relation with themovement of the piston. A latch lever 83 is pivoted, as atS, and is held inposition against the stop 85 by spring 86. The end 87 01 the latch lever extends into the path of the pin 60 when it is moving in clockwise direction in the cam groove 62, and prevents the pin 60 from returning in the direction from whichit came. A sprin 87 is connectedto the arm 80, of the bell crank lever, and normally holds the valve 40 in closed position, or while thepin is traveling through the camway 62, after it leaves contact with the arm 81 of the bell crank lever 79. i

The charges subsequently to be burned in the respective combustion chambers, are compressed bythe axially moving pistons 51 in the cylinders 50.:- They "are moved in consecutive order by a mechanism which will now be described. 1 f- 1 Mounted onthe shaft 27, and rotatively secured thereto, is a gear wheel 90 in mesh with another gear wheel 91 mounted upon a pin or shaft supported upon the frame or housing and secured to the flat rings 21 and 22. On the opposite end of the pin or shaft 22 is crank arm 93, secured thereto by a pin 94: or otherwise. A plate 94: is secured to the housing, as by pins or bolts 195. The piston rod 7 0 is continuous and connects the piston 51 to the piston 51 diametrically opposite, while the piston rod 70 connects the pistons 51*and 51 in the same manner. The plate 94 is slotted with two crossingslots 95 and 96. These slots are in axial alinement with the respective piston rods 70 and 7 0'; The piston rod 70 is located back of the plate 94 and a sliding guide member 98, is connected to the rod 70, as by a screw 99 and is slidable in the groove 96, while a similar slip Plate 100 slides in the groove 95, and is connected to the piston rod 70 by a. similar means. The distance of the movementof the clip 98 is limited by a slot 101, which permits the clip to move sufficiently for the purpose intended.

The crank arm 93, on the shaft 92, is connected by a link 102, to another link 103, as at 104:, and the link 103 is pivotally connected to the clips 98 and 100, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.-

Now it is manifest that when the crank arm 95 rotated in anti-clockwise direction, it will move the link 102 to dotted line position, shownin Fig. 6, whereupon the piston rod 70 will be moved to the left causing the piston 51 to move inwardly of the cylinder 50 and the piston 51= to be moved out into dotted line position during the outstroke. At the same time it will cause the piston 51 to be movedon its instroke and the piston 51 to be moved on its outstroke, all of which is shown in dotted lines in said figure; When the crank passes its center these movements will then be reversed. While the pistons are moving 105 on the outstroke, the inlet valve 57 01 each of the cy1inders,will be opened and the suction produced by the outstroke of the pistons will cause the cylinders to fill with an explosive mixture. The next cycle in the opera tion of the pistons will be to compress the mixture and about thesame time the valve 10 is moved, and coincidentally a spark is made by the spark plug 38 in the combustion chamber 35 and thereupon the hot gases of combustion will be violently expelled from the combustion chamber and will impinge upon the irregular surfaces forming the abutments on the rotor 25, causing a power impulse to be imparted to the rotor.

The inlet valve 57 is carried by a stem 105 which guides the valve which is yieldingly held in closed position, by means of a spring 106, that bears upon the head 107', at the upper end of the valve stem 105, and bears at the other end'upon the upper end of the cylinder; Abellcrank arm 108 has one of its ends 109, bearing upon the head 107 and its other-arm 110 pivotally connected, as at 111, to a downwardly extending valve operatin-garm 112. The-arm 112 terminates at 113 and for a part of its length is inthe path of-the pin 60, that travels in the camway 62, so that when'the pin '60 is moving downwardlyin the camway 62, the lower end of the arm. 112 is moved to the right and being pivoted, as at 1. 4, it moves the verti al ar 110, otthe bell crank to the left, thereby depressing the valve 57 by impingement of the arm 109 upon the head 1.07. The valve '57? is therefore caused to remain open until 7 engine it, is only necessary to primarily rotate the shaft 27 when the pistons 51 on their outistrokes will draw into the cylinders the charg s of gas to be compressed and further rotation of theshaft 27 will cause com,- pressionoithe gasin the cylinders, in sequence,and combustion in the cylinders in proper turn to produce the power impulses necessary to rotate the shaft??? by the power of the explosions, as in engines of other types. f-

lVhile there is herein shown a single embodiment of the invention for the purpose of clear disclosure itwill be manifest, to persons. skilled in the art, that considerable change in the configuration and disposition of the parts ispermissible within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

l laving described my invention, what I claim is r i 1, A rotary gas engine having in conibina tive association, a cylinder, and a reciprocatin iston therein to form and com )ress a charge of fluid fuel; a combustion chamber into which the vfuel under compression is conducted at the end of the compression stroke of the piston; a' valve operated in timed relation, with the piston, to control the conduit between the cylinder and the combustion chamber; a rotor, provided with a plurality; of projections, or abutments against which the burning charge is tangentially projected; a valve having a port inclined substantially tangential to the periphery of the rotor and connectingithe space surrounding the rotor with said combustion chamber, and means, in the combustion chamber to ignite the charge.

2. A rotary gas engine having in combinative association, a plurality of cylinders and reciprocating pistons therein to form and V compress a chargeof fluid fuel in each cylinder in cyclic order; a combustion chamber for each cylinder into which the fuel under pressurev is conducted at the end of the compression stroke of the respective pistons; a valve, for each engine, operated in timed relation with its piston to control the conduit between the cylinder and combustion chamher; a rotor, common to all of the cylinders provided with a plurality of peripheral abutments against which the burning charge from each of the cylinders is tangentially projected; a valve for each combustion chamber, having a port inclined substan tially tangential to the periphery of the rotor and connecting the space surrounding the rotor with the respective combustion chamber and means, in the combustion chambers to ignite the charges in regular order.

A rotary gas engine having in combinative association, a rotor; a housing within which said rotor is rotatable; a series of radially extending abutments on the periphcry of the said rotor; a series of combustion chambers, spaced apart, in said housing, ra-

dially beyond said rotor; a plurality of cylinders secured to said housing; a plurality of pairs of diametrically opposite connected pistons; means operable by the rotor for moving the pistons in timed relation in regular rder and means operated by each piston to connect its cylinder to the combustion chamber at the end of its compression stroke.

L. A. rotary gas engine having in combinative association a plurality of cylinders and reciprocating piston therein each to form and compress a charge of fluid fuel in regular order; a combustion chamber for each cylinder into which the fuel under Pressure is conducted at the end of the compression stroke of the respective pistons; a valve for each engine unitoperated in timed relation with its piston to control the conduit between the cylinder and combustion chamber; a rotor common to all of the cylinders, provided with a plurality of peripheral abutments against which the burning charges from each of the cylinders is tangen tially projected; a valve, for each combustion chamber, having two ports inclined in opposite directions, each port substantially tangential to the peripher Y of the rotor and connecting the space surrounding the rotor with the respective combustion chamber;

means to move the valve to direct the charge through either port to reverse direction of rotation of said rotor and means, in each combustion chamber, to ignite the charge of fuel in regular order in harmony with the movements of the piston.

5. In a gas engine, two airs of oppositely disposed cylinders; pistons in said cylin ders; a connecting rod connecting together opposite pistons, said connecting rods being located at substantial right angles to each other; a plate, having guides for each rod; a link pivotally connecting said guides together and having an extended end; a crank rotated by the rotor; a link connecting the said crank ,to the extended end of the first mentioned link whereby to move the pistons axially in sequential order; a rotor having a plurality of radially extending abutments on its peripher common to all of the cylinders; a combustion chamber for each cylinder, and a valve, operated by the axial movement of each piston to connect its cylinder to its combustion chamber and means to explode the charge in the combustion chamber in timed relation.

6. A gas engine having a cylinder with a compression chamber at one end thereof; a piston in said cylinder to compress a charge of gas in the compression chamber; a combustion chamber; a valve to admit a fuel charge into the compression chamber to be compressed by the piston; a rotor; a valve between the rotor and combustion chamber and means, operated by the piston, to close the latter valve and to open the former valve during the inspiration stroke of the piston.

Intestimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name.

rnnii SCHMIDT. 

